artstor_logo_rgb2Georgetown University’s James J. O’Donnell is contributing 22 images of Deir Mar Musa, a monastic compound north of Damascus, to the Artstor Digital Library.

Deir Mar Musa began as a Byzantine watchtower, served as a medieval hermitage and modern monastery, fell into disrepair and neglect, and was then brought back to life a few years ago as a monastic community and place for Christian and Muslim Syrians to meet in mutual respect. O’Donnell’s photographs document the site and its murals, which date ca. 11th-13th centuries.

James J. O’Donnell is University Professor at Georgetown University. He has published widely on the history and culture of the late antique Mediterranean world and is a recognized innovator in the application of networked information technology in higher education. He has served as a Director, as Vice President for Publications, and as President of the American Philological Association; he has also served as a Councillor of the Medieval Academy of America and has been elected a Fellow of the Medieval Academy. He serves as Chair of the Board of the American Council of Learned Societies.

For more information, visit the James J. O’Donnell: Deir Mar Musa, Syria page in Artstor.

You may also be interested in Professor O’Donnell’s essay: From Byzantine watchtower to monastic compound

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